Hinata's Homecoming
by natsnomnom123
Summary: Hinata, a Junior in high school, is faced with the dilemma of asking her crush, Naruto, to the homecoming dance. However, life has its turns and she is faced with more than what she bargained for. With the help of her gay cousin, Neji, she manages to survive high school, deal with her family's rejection, and overcome her enemies. Rated T for language.
1. My Homecoming

**So I had this random Naruhina feeling the other day and I just HAD to write this one shot (that eventually turned into a two shot) Quick note. MAJOR OOC! Neji's gay, Tenten's bi, Hinata's a bit OOC too, and Naruto aswell, hmm...yeah obviously AU lol and I have NOTHING against gays. My best friend's bi and I love her so please, don't get the wrong idea. The only reason why Neji's so insecure is because it's a normal aspect of being gay. Sometimes, society can be scary. Just saying. I mind fucked plenty before. TROLOLOLOLOLing since 1997 #IGOTTHATTROLLSWAGG HELL YEA! Cotton headed ninny muggins! Bow down to me! THE thugnasty biggums of the internet AKA BOSS. lol JK idek what I just wrote. It's 3 AM O.o BTW, to those who read my story, Final Bloom and think "WHAT DA FACK! SHE HAS TIME TO WRITE A ONE SHOT BUT NOT HER LONG ASS STORY?!" My computer crashed! Give me a break lol and I will update soon...although I can't justify my monthly lateness so much. I'm sooooooooo sorryyyyy! DX BAD PERSON BIGGUMS! ON WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL TWO SHOT! R&R!**

* * *

_**Chapter 1: Homecoming**_

It felt like there was a lump in her throat. It was keeping her from speaking, as much as she took deep breaths and tried to gulp it down, it seemed to come right back up.

"H-Hey, Naruto-kun. W-What's up?" Hinata stuttered, tightly clutching her books against her chest.

"Uh, nothing much. I mean, that stupid Sasuke Uchiha kicked me during a soccer game in gym yesterday, so I've been limping all day. That asshole..." Naruto babbled on about his banter with Sasuke, and Hinata, being the pushover she is, let him continue like a fool.

"A-are you still in p-pain?" She asked with genuine concern, but still worried about the reason why she was speaking to him in the first place. She wanted to ask him if he had a date to the homecoming dance, yet it became hard to do as their conversation went on.

"It's okay, Hinata-chan! I feel much better now that I talked to you!" He gave her a goofy smile and a thumbs-up.

"O-oh. I see, er, I'm glad I...uh...helped." She blushed and awkwardly diverted her gaze towards the lockers behind him.

"I'll see you around then!" Hinata wanted to stop him, but when she looked up he was already walking away while waving goodbye. She waved back, flustered and confused. She didn't know where the strength to speak to him came from, but it sure helped.

'You idiot! You didn't even ask him whether he had a date for the dance!' Hinata face palmed herself at the thought. She was ashamed of her weakness around people. There had to be something she could do about her social skills. Although, she had to admit that Naruto was hard headed, so she had to be very straight forward with her feelings. It truly frustrated her.

The next day, she woke up with a new mindset.

"Today is the day!" She said to herself in front of her bathroom mirror.

After getting ready for school, she looked into her bathroom mirror one last time and gave herself the pep talk of a lifetime.

"Today is the day, Hinata. No screwing up. No shyness, or awkwardness. Naruto _will _be your date for the dance! Yeah!"

"Hinata! Come on, it's time for breakfast!" Hanabi, her younger sister, called from outside of her bedroom door.

"Coming!" Hinata did a final check on her make up, although it was barely noticeable, and gave herself a reassuring smile. She ran downstairs, book bag hung over her shoulder, and with her cell phone in hand.

"Did you sleep well?" Her mother asked, placing a plate of scrambled eggs and a bagel in front of her.

"Yes, mother."

"How about you Hanabi?" She asked, doing the same thing for her younger daughter.

"Yes." She groaned. She was always the bad mannered one of the family, and it angered their father, but she was also the brightest. While Hinata was an A and B student, Hanabi was a straight A plus and in first place for all her classes. Hinata was not stupid though, she was actually quite the "know-it-all," However, she never showed it. She was always content with keeping her knowledge to herself and knowing that she was smart without having to prove it. Even if it meant degrading herself academically; she wasn't proud of being a genius. She just didn't want others to feel like they couldn't get near her because of that.

She was very wrong. But who was going to tell her that? Her parents have never been involved with her when it came to feelings and guidance. Most of her life lessons came with personal experience, not that it's abnormal, but she could appreciate a warning.

"Morning, Honey!" Their mother greeted their father and head of the Hyuga family, Hiashi, who walked into the kitchen dressed for work as the CEO of a clothing brand. Hinata couldn't fathom how her father landed a job in the fashion industry, but she was sure that he wasn't focusing on the clothing itself, but its quality and sales efficiency. How else did they afford such a large house?

Hiashi grunted in response as he took a sip of his hot coffee. After the usually quiet, awkward, and tension filled breakfast, Hinata was off to school. Her father was giving her a ride for once, and she took the chance without a second thought. Her school bus was usually noisy and full of rowdy teens, so a ride to school could let her get mentally prepared in peace and quiet. She sighed, looking out the car window and not directing a word to her father. He could care less about her day in school. It was raining, and the weather felt a bit colder that morning. With winter right around the corner, she wasn't surprised of the random showers in Konoha city.

"Thank you, father." Hinata mumbled before getting out of the car and rushing to the school entrance, where it was dry.

"Hinata-chan!" She heard her name in the distance as she neared her locker, and after looking around, she found Neji waving from his locker.

Hinata smiled and walked over, her sneakers squeaked against the tile floors.

"What's up, bro?" Surprisingly, she was very carefree around Neji. Her cousin was her best friend, almost like a brother, but not quite. She could relate to him in many ways. One was that their fathers, who are also twin brothers, are awfully alike personality wise. They were never accepted by their fathers who expected them to be the best, no excuses. But one's destiny, as Neji puts it, isn't in what others have to say or think, but in what you decide. He couldn't justify why he was a failure in his father's eyes, and he didn't have to because that's just the way he is.

"So how was your date last Saturday? Was he nice?" Hinata asked. Yes, Neji's father hated him because he was gay. The Hyuga family is extremely conventional, almost restricting. So when his father caught him kissing another guy in the school parking lot, he beat him and grounded him for months.

"It was okay. He was extremely nice, almost too nice. Turns out he only wanted me for one thing..." Neji looked disappointed. He took out a Chemistry book and closed his locker.

"I'm sorry 'bout that, nii-san. I'm sure you'll find a date for the homecoming dance." Hinata sheepishly smiled in a failed attempt to cheer him up. Their conversation continued as the two of them began to walk towards Hinata's locker.

"Never mind that! What about prom? The other seniors will think I'm weird." Neji whined and leaned on the locker next to Hinata's. She pouted, trying to unlock her locker and find a good consolation at the same time. What was she going to tell him? He was already a senior, and this was his last dance before graduating with his fellow classmates. She couldn't understand his position as much as she tried, not just because he was gay, but because he couldn't find the right one.

'I'm in love,' Hinata thought. 'But Neji- he has so much boy-trouble...'

"I gotta say, I'm jealous." Hinata muttered. Her cousin scowled in confusion.

"What the are you saying?" He practically yelled, which caught the attention of other students who just shrugged it off.

"You're so comfortable with dating, and just guys in general! Sometimes, you make me feel like a potato." She blushed and giggled at her comment. "Isn't it ironic?"

"No, it's not! You walk into school and it's like the Birth of Venus, all you need is a fucking sea shell and you're good to go! You could make all the boys combust with you gliding into school with your raven hair and what-not! "

Hinata's blush did not fade and only worsened, "Neji!"

"And don't get me started about your boobs- talk about bringing boys to the yard!"

"Hey-easy! My boobs aren't _that _big..." She trailed off, taking a few notebooks into her bag before closing her locker.

"So have you asked Naruto to the dance yet?"

Hinata slammed her fist into her locker, "No."

"C'mon, girl, I know you can do it. What's taking you so long?" He gave her an annoyed look.

"Hey, it's easier to say so when you're not in my position!"

"Yeah, but I have experience. If you don't make your move, you will never know if he feels the same, or worse, he will have another date and you'll have to go through the horrors of being _rejected_."

Neji was right. It hurt her to hear the truth, but she had to face it. At that moment, the bell rung. Students were now running to their classes and the hallways were deserted in a matter of seconds. Hinata waved goodbye to Neji and went off to her first class: History.

She walked into class and took her seat on the far left and near the window. She sat next to Kiba, another good friend of hers. He smiled at her and she returned the gesture. He was one of the few people who got to see the real her, and she was glad to know she shared more than one class with him.

"You look different today!" He cheekily pointed out. Hinata had chosen to wear something out of her comfort zone which was usually baggy sweatpants and t-shirts which were tight, but still a size larger to give her chest some air.

She had chosen to wear skinny jeans with a white, tight tank top, and an unzipped black hoodie which also fit her a bit tight around the waist. Neji was right. She was gorgeous. Her clear porcelain skin made it easier for her natural blush to be visible. Her eyes were a lavender grey, and her long, silky, raven hair had a bounce to it and made it flow with each step she took. She didn't know how beautiful she was.

"Is that a good thing?" Hinata asked, making Kiba snap back to reality after staring at her for a long moment.

"Y-yeah. It looks good on you, the clothes, I mean...yeah." He looked nervous, which made Hinata feel bad. Did she make him feel uncomfortable asking him that? She just wanted to know if she looked good. She figured that his nervousness was a good sign, but at the same time, it made her feel awkward because of their close friendship.

"Thanks."

Their teacher walked into the room and ordered the kids to be quiet as class was about to start. Kiba wanted to continue talking since it was a Thursday and there wasn't much to do in History class that day, so he passed a note to Hinata.

She felt something hit her head, so she looked up and saw Kiba grinning and tapping his fingers on the desk. Knowing exactly what he meant, she looked at the floor and saw a paper ball next to the foot of her chair.

"Yo."

She giggled, and looked at him before scribbling a reply.

"Derp."

He quietly laughed to himself, getting quick glances from students sitting around him, and threw his note back at her. He felt accomplished after it hit her head like before.

"Are U still going to homecoming with Naruto?"

Hinata discreetly looked at him, her eyes partially hidden under her bangs, and wondered if she should answer or brush the question off since it _is _something private. Kiba was looking up at the board, as if he actually paid attention in class.

Kiba felt something hit his head, and scoffed after he saw a paper ball on his desk. He slowly opened it, afraid of her answer. His expression turned into a saddened one.

"Yes."

Lunch time arrived and kids were rushing to the cafeteria. Most of them starving, others just glad to have a break from teachers.

"Hina-chan! Sis!" Neji waved at Hinata from a round table in the far back of the cafeteria, towards the vending machines. She ran towards him and his close senior friend, Tenten. She's one of the few who know about Neji's sexual orientation and supported him because she's bisexual, as well. Hinata knew her since freshman year, when she and Neji were sophomores, and even got to hang out with them at her house. She was also like an older sister because she would give her good advice, especially since she has experience with both boys and girls. Hinata was never uncomfortable around her, either. She knew that Tenten saw her as family, and it would just be odd if she liked her more than a friend. Not just that, but everyone thought Neji and Tenten dated. No one would ever suspect that Neji was into guys, and Tenten was bi.

"Enjoying your day so far?" Tenten asked with a smile. Hinata nodded amd sat down across from them.

"What about you?"

"I don't know. Today, my classes have been _boring_." Tenten sighed and took a bite of her turkey sandwich.

"We did have Child Development together, though. _That _was fun." Neji chuckled while he spoke, convincing Hinata that the class must've been a blast.

"Oh, yeah! We made fun of the robotic babies! Those shits were creepy looking." Tenten looked over at Hinata as she described the "robotic babies from hell." Hinata felt glad to have their company, but after lunch was over, a sudden realization hit her. They were seniors. They were graduating and leaving this year. It scared Hinata to know she didn't have many friends, and the few she did, were moving on. Although Neji's her family, she can't exactly visit him because he's moving into a college dorm. It was unfair. How would they stay in contact? Texting wasn't going to help because she spent most of her weekdays in school and his weekends were going to busy with college exams and al.

She continued to walk in deep thought, then suddenly bumped into a warm chest. It was obviously a boy, since it felt hard, so she looked up to apologize.

Hinata's skin crawled at the sight of Naruto. He was so close to her, it gave her goose bumps.

"N-Naruto-kun!" She quickly took a few steps back but another student that was in the way shoved past her and she found herself back in Naruto's arms. Only this time, he actually caught her.

"Whoa, watch out, Hinata-chan. You're so clumsy." He chuckled and helped her regain her balance.

"S-sorry. I d-didn't see y-you." She felt helpless when she stuttered. It was a huge weakness she wished to hide.

"It's fine, as long as you're okay." He smiled and was about to keep walking, until Hinata's tender touch stopped him. She held on his hand and looked at him with a deep blush. He could obviously tell she was trying to say something, but couldn't understand what was so important that it caused her _this _much trouble.

"What's wrong, Hinata-chan?" He looked into her eyes and Hinata felt his blue orbs fill her with serenity. Her grip softened, and she felt a bit more relaxed. Her blush faded as well, and her eyes went from alarmed to doubtful. She knew this was the perfect time to ask.

"I wanted to ask you something."

The hallway was empty now, and the bell had rung, but she didn't care. She had an art class, she could just slip in and the teacher wouldn't notice. More importantly, Naruto was willing to listen to her. This was a chance she couldn't pass up.

Much to Naruto's surprise, she didn't stutter. For some reason, he thought it was cute when she did. But every time this thought invaded his mind, he would shake it off. It was odd, how they became so close over the past few years. He never actually noticed her, but he knew she was there. Even back in elementary school, he remembered how she would get bullied for the rare color of her eyes or because of her shyness. She was also the smartest of the class, and kids would get jealous of her good grades. She never looked genuinely happy. It wasn't until freshman year started that Naruto saw her smile in such an affectionate way, that he couldn't stop thinking about her for a week.

He was walking through the cherry blossoms after school with Sasuke. The two were talking about a bet they made a few days earlier, and Naruto believed he was losing because Sasuke cheated. Sasuke could only agree with him so that he would shut up, and as they walked through the cherry blossoms, a girl caught Sasuke's eyes. It was a unusual for him to be interested in a girl, especially a random girl on the street. Naruto was more than interested to know who this girl was. He looked the same way Sasuke was and saw a girl with very long hair. He didn't see her face until she turned around, a huge smile displayed on her delicate features. He could tell she was laughing, probably because of the cherry blossoms. On windy days, it's a beautiful scene to witness because all the petals encircle you and you feel like it's a whole new world with hues of pink and white. The park was full of cherry blossoms in the spring, none of the students missed mother nature's wonders. She was enjoying herself, alone, but with the comfort of the petals that tapped her from head to toe. The two boys were hypnotized by her voice, her laughing was so musical and soft. She suddenly stopped and looked their way. Naruto panicked and looked away, but Sasuke kept staring. He began to walk over to her, but not without Naruto's remarks that followed.

"Hey! What are you doing?" He yelled. Sasuke sighed.

"To say hi, you dumbass. It's just Hinata."

Naruto would always laugh at the memory. Did Hinata really change so much over the years that he didn't recognize her? The memory baffled him.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata was now in front of him, once more, waving her hand in front of his face.

"What? You said you had to ask me something." He scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. He must've been daydreaming.

"Y-yes, but you l-looked a bit d-distracted." Her stuttering was back._'Dammit!' _She thought.

"Sorry 'bout that. I just remembered something. Anyway, what was your question?" He was starting to get impatient with curiosity.

"Right..." Hinata struggled with her inner self, _'Grow some balls, Hinata! Do it!' _

"I-I w-wanted to ask y-you if, um, you w-wanted to-I mean! I-I...ugh!" She growled at herself and turned around. She couldn't ask him with those pretty eyes of his staring at her.

"Hinata, are you okay?" He touched her shoulder and she felt her temperature rise immediately. Her blushing came back, and what's worse is that she felt like she could get a nosebleed from it. Now that's more embarrassing than getting rejected, she thought.

"I-I'm fine! I-I just...I just..." '_C'mon! Say it!'_

"Hinata, why don't you tell me later-"

"No!" She turned around rapidly and was taken aback by how close Naruto was, but she was determined this time to say it. "I-I...was wondering if you wanted to go to the homecoming dance with me! Well, if you don't have a date already!" She couldn't believe herself. She asked him! And without stuttering! She felt exhausted, but relieved that she handled things in the end. Now, it was time to let Naruto do the talking.

Naruto looked into her eyes. Hinata could tell he was just as flustered as her, then the hint of happiness in his eyes, abruptly faded.

"Hinata-chan...I-I like you, a lot, but...I'm already-"

"Don't say it, please." Hinata's blush was gone. Naruto felt like a stabbing pain in the pit of his stomach, and his ability to breathe became harder. He didn't know what these feelings were, and he didn't like them.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan."

"I don't care." She began to walk off, her head down and her hands gripping the hem of her hood with force. She didn't want to start crying in front of him.

"Hinata! Wait!" He tried to catch up to her, but she quickly ran off.

Hinata wanted to go home. She didn't want to see anyone. She just wanted to be alone. She ran straight to the nurse's office and gave her an excuse. She was about to cry before, so it was believeable. The nurse let her rest in her office for a few minutes, just until Hinata felt strong enough to walk home. Her parents couldn't pick her up because they were working, and their jobs are outside of the city.

"Do you have any family member who's over eighteen years old?" The lady asked. She felt pity for Hinata. Who would make their sick child walk home from school?

"Yes. He comes to this school, and he's a senior. Could he take me home? It's an emergency..." Hinata looked down. Her blush looked more feverish than from embarrassment.

"Sure, honey. Do you know what class he has now?"

"Yes. It's Ceramics in room 366. His name is Neji." She watched as the lady called her cousin over the loudspeaker, then turned and sat back down on the bed in her office. She looked down at her hands and replayed her encounter with Naruto in her head.

'_So he rejected me, huh?' _

'_Don't let it get to you. You're still a Junior. I'm sure you can find a good guy for prom next year.'_ Hinata thought to herself. Sometimes, she wondered why her mind gave her such good advice, yet it couldn't make her actually use it or listen to it. She was so hopeful about today.

"Hinata?" She looked up to find Neji with his backpack and car keys. Without a second thought, she ran to her cousin and cried her eyes out in his embrace.

"Oh, Neji! You were right~" She sobbed and wept, feeling safe with her cousin.

He thanked the nurse and led Hinata out to the school parking lot. Her crying didn't stop and it broke Neji's heart to hear it. He didn't realize her affection for Naruto was so great.

He opened the car door for her and then proceeded to get in himself. The whole car ride was silent. The only sound came from the heavy drops of rain that tapped the car.

"We're here." He turned off the engine and took out his keys. He was about to go open the door for Hinata, but she had already left the car and ran off into his apartment building. Neji moved out of his house a couple of days after his 18th birthday. He was glad when he did. No more judgemental father around, he thought.

"You wanna talk about it?" The two sat on Neji's couch. Most of the lights in his apartment were off, but Hinata liked it. It calmed her down. Her crying had stopped a while ago, but her eyes were noticeably red and puffy.

"No."

"C'mon, Hina. You know you can tell me anything, right?" He poked her shoulder, but she didn't giggle or even blink. "You're scaring me, Hina."

"You wouldn't understand."

"I will! I've had experience!"

"Don't say that! You don't know what it's like to love someone for so long and not have them return your feelings! Everyday I go to school and hope that he will say hi or even glance at me in the hallways. A smile from him makes me day eventful, and his eyes are the most beautiful ones I have _ever _seen! Even when we were little, he would always get picked on by kids because he was an orphan, but he never lost to them! He would always give them a taste of his foot! But I can _never _do that! All I'm good at is stuttering and making a fool of myself!" Hinata started bawling on the couch. Her face hidden under her long raven locks.

Neji grimaced.

"You're right. I don't. But one thing I do know, is that love is a wonderful but dangerous feeling. You get attached, but when they cut you off, the detachment process is the most hurtful of it all. Only time will heal these kinds of wounds."

Hinata quietly sobbed. She listened intently to what her cousin had said, but didn't have enough strength to keep talking. She just laid her head on her cousin's lap, wondering what the future was holding for her. He stroked her hair until she fell asleep. Hiashi called her cell phone more than once, and Neji explained to him that she was sick. Luckily, Hiashi didn't care, so Hinata slept over. Neji felt extremely heartbroken. Hinata latched on to Naruto, as if he could patch up the holes in her dysfunctional family.

He looked through his drawers and found some clothes she had left when she slept over before. It was her usual sweatpants and t-shirt.

The next morning went by slowly. Hinata got a ride from Neji and the two got to school early. She wore the grey sweatpants, tight blue t-shirt, and Air Jordans her cousin conjured up for her. She also had to wear boxers for the day, but she didn't mind. They were quite comfy. Even though she was too quiet this morning, Neji was glad she had the strength to even come to school.

"See ya at lunch, nii-san." She waved at him and went to the bathroom before heading to her first class. Her hair was a bit messy this morning, so she tied it up into a ponytail.

Once she did her makeup, she was ready to go to History. Kiba sat in his usual seat next to her but she wasn't sure if she was in the mood to face him. He had asked her if she was asking Naruto to homecoming, and she said yes. But why would she do that? She could've gone with Kiba. He's a nice guy. But Hinata didn't like nice guys. She wanted an intrepid boy, with guts, and hyperactive attitude.

"Hey, Hinata-chan." He noticed her sulking before sitting in her desk, so his tone was sympathetic.

"Hey."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Kiba scowled. He knew it had to do with Naruto. What or who else could cause this much damage to her. Hinata already learned to deal with her family's rejection, so what else could cause her so much pain?

"Hinata, do you want to go to homecoming with me?"

She looked up at him wide eyed._ 'Did he know?'_ She thought.

"Y-you w-want to g-go out with m-me?"

"Yeah. Unless you're already going with Naruto."

"No. It's fine. I'll go with you."

"Cool."

"Alright class, settle down! Time to learn!" The class groaned at the arrival of the teacher, but Hinata was still confused about what she had just agreed to. Maybe it was her mind telling her to move on and try someone new, but her heart was deeply regretting it. If Kiba did have feelings for her, he would feel the same pain she went through last night. But if he is willing to stay in the friend zone, Hinata wouldn't even doubt going out with Kiba. As long as the two had fun, she was ready to accept him.

After class ended, she walked out of class with him. He was actually excited about going to homecoming with her and told her he would pick her up from her house. Hinata knew that wasn't going to work out,with her father's hawkeye and all, so she gave him Neji's address. She had to lie to her father, or no dance. Plus she knows her father doesn't care if she sleeps over at Neji's, he's as much of a disgrace to the Hyuga as her. She would just bring her dress, shoes, and makeup to get ready at Neji's place on the day of the dance. That reminded her: the dance was in a week. She had to go shopping early or else all the dresses would be sold out.

Lunch arrived in no time, and Hinata wanted to ask her two best friends to go dress shopping with her. Filled with newfound purpose, she skipped down the hall towards the cafeteria. However, with one slight distraction, she bumped into a familiar chest.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto stood before her again. He looked ecstatic to see her. Maybe he wanted to apologize, Hinata thought. "Yesterday, I tried to tell you that Sakura and I were going to go together, but It's only because Sasuke rejected her. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you that, if you wanted, I could go with you instead. Please, just give me a chance!" Naruto held her hands in his and looked into her eyes. Hinata thought for a moment he was going to kiss her. It all seemed so surreal, almost like a dream. Wasn't she supposed to detach herself from him? How could he confuse her like this?

"I-I- I can't. You can't just _leave _Sakura." Hinata looked away. It hurt her more to be the one rejecting him. How did she get in this position?

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

_SOOOO! What did you think? There are bound to be spelling errors and just stupid errors that can be described as brain farts, but hey, I wrote all this in like an hours or so. It's also 3 A.M and I'm too lazy to revise ;P PLEASE REVIEW! KSDSKLANDAJHDKJAGDKA! PLEASE lol okay. Enough. _


	2. Lying

_**Hinata's Homecoming: Chapter 2**_

He looked disappointed. He should've just said yes in the first place, but the damage was done. It wasn't his fault Sakura forced him to go with her to make Sasuke jealous. Apparently, he's been rejecting all the girls in school, but there have been rumors that he bought a ticket to the dance. Naruto didn't understand what all the fuss was about. He probably wanted to go alone. Then again, he didn't like parties, so there had to be a reason for him to go.

"Hinata, I-"

"Hey! Get away from her!"

Both Hinata and Naruto turned to look at Kiba who was making his way down the hall. He wore an irritated expression as he stood by Hinata, folding his arms in an intimidating way.

"Why don't you mind your own business?" Naruto said menacingly. He took a step forward and tugged Hinata to stand by his side. A tiny shriek escaped her as both boys played tug-o-war with her body.

"How about you quit harassing her, asshat?" Kiba had put his arm around her like a body guard.

"Why would I _harass_ her? And they say _I'm_ the stupid one!" Naruto smirked cockily, taking Hinata's hand and pushing Kiba against the lockers.

"N-Naruto-kun! Stop!" Hinata let go of his hand and stood between the two. She didn't want them fighting over something so pointless. Neither was in the position to decide what was best for her.

"Kiba," She turned to face him, "It's okay. He was just…uh, talking to me about his soccer game with Sasuke…" Hinata's excuse confused the incredulous Naruto, who stood quietly behind her.

Kiba didn't know whether to believe her or not, and he was sure that Naruto was a big threat if he wanted to take Hinata to the dance. His jealousy was building up slowly, and he was afraid that it would make him do something he'd regret. He felt defeated at Hinata's tender touch on his shoulder and excused himself, directing dirty glares at Naruto when he could.

"Why did you lie?"

Naruto's voice sent a shock up her spine. She blushed uncontrollably and looked down at the floor.

"N-no reason. I-I just w-wanted to br-break up th-the fight." She fiddled with her fingers and began to walk away, too embarrassed to continue with the conversation.

"Hinata!" He yanked on her arm, making her face him. "I want some answers!" He gave her a helpless look, one that made her feel guilty for lying to her Kiba, her best friend. She wondered whether Naruto was important enough. Why does he instigate and prod at the wounds he made. She felt like her heart was going to explode with passion, both marvelous and unscrupulous feelings she hid deep inside.

"P-please l-let me g-go…" Hinata looked away with a grimace. He realized that he didn't stop holding her hand, and by now he was squeezing it too hard. He shook his head. What was wrong with him lately? All he did was hurt Hinata with his reckless actions.

"I'm sorry." Naruto pouted and turned to leave with the most heart breaking expression Hinata had ever seen. She felt like a bad person after watching him leave. She wished she hadn't even asked him to the dance in the first place. All they ever did was bump into each other and have awkward conversations, but what could she do?

'I love him. But I can't keep doing this…' She looked down the deserted hallway and at the grand clock on top of the cafeteria entrance. Lunch was going to be over in ten minutes and Neji must be worried about her whereabouts. Hinata raced into the vast room to see him sulking with Tenten at the usual round table.

As she cut through the cafeteria however, she noticed that her cousin was not only sulking but crying. Hinata ran towards the table as soon as she fully registered the image in her head, and stopped right in front of the duo.

"Nii-san…"

"I don't know what to do." He ran his fingers through his golden locks and looked out into the open football field.

"What do you mean? Just tell her how you feel and get things over with, dobe." Sasuke leaned back on the bleachers, letting his feet rest on the stands beneath him.

"It's not as easy as it looks, Sasu_gay_!"

"Hey shut up! I told you to quit calling me that…"

"Yeah, but you're not helping me at all!" Naruto scoffed and leaned back on the bleachers as well.

"Why should I? It's not _my_ love life." Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was exhilarating. He took the forbidden fruit, without a care, he bit into it, and savored the taste of what was fraudulent. That forbidden fruit he was so fanatical about was slowly decaying, becoming less edible at his demand, especially with _Naruto_ in the way. Sasuke scowled. How could Hinata ever fancy Naruto? How could she let her pure, fragile heart be consumed by _Naruto_?

"I thought we were friends!" Naruto stood up, narrowing his cobalt eyes partially because of the sunlight that seeped through from behind the bleachers and from the anger that endlessly boiled in him. Sasuke could never put aside his own feelings to help him. It made him wonder why they were even "best friends."

'_Well it's all over now',_ he thought. '_If he really doesn't care, then neither do I'._

"You're disgusting."

He looked down at his former friend in shock. He sounded hostile, to an extent that Naruto had never heard before, and wasn't bothering to look him in the eyes as he spoke with malice.

"Sasuke…? What are you—"

"Quit being so weak and grow up! If you really want Hinata to be your date to the dance, then do whatever you have to do, grow some balls, and don't hold back!"

The two of them stayed still. Tension filled the air like the humidity on a stormy night. Naruto couldn't believe his ears. Who was this guy and what did he do to the Sasuke he knew? He was never one to push people around, he never even cared about anyone this much.

Sasuke sprung up from his seat, making Naruto flinch at that split second.

"I hope you take my advice, because I don't plan on holding back. Hinata's an excellent girl and I plan to have her, one way or another."

"Neji! What's wrong?" Hinata yelled, wrapping her arms around her weeping cousin. He looked up at her with tears rolling down his bruised cheeks and bleeding lips. She gasped.  
"Oh my! What happened? Who did this to you?"  
He refused to speak and only looked down. Thankfully, Tenten was there and she explained everything to Hinata.  
"We were walking to our Child Development class and a group of seniors ganged up on him out of nowhere and started beating him up without a reason. I tried to fight them off, but one of them held me back. If it wasn't for Kakashi-sensei, the kids would've never stopped."  
"That's horrible! Do you know their names? This has to be reported to the authorities!" Hinata slammed her fist down on the table, startling Tenten who had never seen her so disgruntled before.  
"We already spoke to a few of the administrators. It's obviously bullying!"  
Neji suddenly looked up as a thought struck him, one that made him grimace.  
"…They know…" He quietly spoke.

"Nii-san…" Hinata sighed, feeling deep sympathy for him as she wrapped her arms around him. He took it as her acknowledging it and helplessly let her embrace him; with the horrible thought still in his head, but ready to be put away until he had the nerve to confront it.

She sat in her last class of the day. She couldn't help but think of her cousin's sad expression after lunch ended. She wanted to stay with him but couldn't afford to skip another day of school, and so she sat by a still disgruntled Kiba. He hadn't said a word to her since class started, and Hinata began to feel guilty for lying to him earlier that day. Trying to come up with ways to mend their friendship, she was completely oblivious of the stares Sasuke was directing to her from the back of the classroom. She hadn't noticed he was in the same class as her, mainly because Kiba kept her busy with his shenanigans. A half hour went by, until a crumpled up piece of paper was put on her desk. She looked up to see no one, and only heard the footsteps of some other class mate that passed by her desk. She discreetly opened the note, stealing glances at the teacher who was busy on her computer, and inwardly gasped to know the author of the note.

_Sasuke? But I don't remember sharing a class with him unless…_

Hinata hesitantly turned her head and scanned the back of the classroom. There he sat, in a nonchalant pose and with a slight smirk. This was just a façade; deep inside his lust for the raven haired girl was boiling and growing with every second.  
She pursed her lips together and turned back around, looking down at the piece of paper in her hands.

_Meet me at the school parking lot after class – Sasuke._

Such a simple letter, yet it struck in various ways. Hinata was thoroughly confused by what he could want. After all, he never spoke to her, even back in elementary school and through middle school. High school was almost over for them as well, so she couldn't fathom the nature of his intentions.  
Lost deep in thought, she wasn't aware that the teacher was wrapping up class and was startled by the sound of the bell. This didn't go unnoticed by Kiba, so he stood up and tapped her shoulder. She blankly looked up at him and cleared her throat.

"Hey." She quickly diverted her gaze and began putting away her notebook; his sudden actions flustered her  
"Are you okay?" He was genuinely concerned, as Sasuke's invitation did not go unnoticed either. He knew perfectly well how much trouble Sasuke was, and he wasn't going to let his best friend get involved with him.  
"Yes, I'm fine." Hinata felt a pang of irritation. Why did he care now, after being so cold and distant throughout the day?

Kiba wanted to continue the conversation, but before he could say anything else, Hinata was already standing up with her bag hung over one shoulder. She excused herself, keeping her head down to hide the tears that formed in her eyes. A part of her wanted to forget about Sasuke's invitation and wanted to stay with Kiba, but through a rush of emotions she decided otherwise.  
Sasuke was one of the first to leave the classroom. He leaned on the fence by the parking lot like promised, looking smug as ever. As he waited for his bright-eyed beauty, he remembered his banter with Naruto during lunch.

_He violently grabbed Sasuke by his shirt, their faces inches away, and each directing a murderous glare._

_"Listen well, Sasugay! I know you well! I can't stop you from liking her, but if you play with her feelings, I'll make you pay…" Naruto growled. He might not have grown so fond of Hinata yet, but he couldn't just stand by and let Sasuke play with the feelings of such an innocent girl._  
_Sasuke scoffed, pushing Naruto off of him. Without another word, he walked off, leaving Naruto standing there with a look of confusion, and anger. That had marked the end of a long-lasting friendship, but Naruto didn't doubt the possibility of a truce. Even if Sasuke's stubborn personality gets in the way._

Hinata walked out the side of the building, and abruptly stopped at the sight of him. He leaned on the fence across from the small parking lot, deep in thought. She wondered if he was always alone. Even though Naruto was his best friend, they weren't seen together as often in school.  
She made her way towards him, shaking a bit from the sudden cold air. She felt stupid for forgetting her hoodie in Neji's apartment. Her eyes went wide. How could I forget about Nii-san!

As she stood before him, Sasuke opened his mouth to soon be interrupted by an agitated Hinata,  
"What do you want?"  
His eyes widened. He didn't expect this kind of question from her; however he kept his composure and chuckled.  
"Nothing. I just wanted to talk."  
Hinata raised an eyebrow, which Sasuke thought was cute, and turned to look for her cousin's car.  
_It's not here…_  
"Hey, c-can you e-excuse me for a second. I-I need to make an i-important call…" Hinata excused herself.

Sasuke nodded, thinking how much Hinata had changed both inside and out, despite her stuttering. The Hinata he remembered, was extremely polite, and never agreed to sneak around, or even spaced out in class. She would always be alone, and looked depressed for the most part. It's like she became all the more interesting to know. He stared in fascination. He watched her as she spoke to someone on the phone, thinking how tantalizing her moving lips were. Her rosy cheeks in the cold were cute, and her laid back style was something he appreciated. She wasn't too extravagant like Ino, or too meticulous like Sakura.  
He was startled by her sudden reappearance; her tied up hair bounced in the air as she turned to look at him.

"I guess we can talk." She said. On the inside, Hinata was very nervous. She didn't like Sasuke in a romantic way. He was the definition of trouble. His family, the Uchiha clan, was all one big mafia that was respected by many business owners for their notorious acts of violence. They basically ran the town, but they were scary people and being involved with them wasn't advised.

"You look cold, though. Would you like to go for some hot chocolate?" His facial expression didn't say much, but his voice uttered kindness, something that Hinata didn't expect.

"I-I guess—"

The sound of her love's voice was heard clearly as he boldly walked in between her and Sasuke, shouting a hello.

"Hinata, I was looking for you!" Naruto looked in between the two. They were definitely taken aback, letting him know he had interrupted something. However, Sasuke's cool façade did not waver, managing to fool Hinata who was oblivious of any tension.

"Y-you w-were looking f-for m-me?" She stuttered uncontrollably and in disbelief.

"Yeah I, uh, we never finished our talk…" He scratched the back of his head and sheepishly looked down. He wondered if that was the best he could think of as he saw her shift away, adding more to the space between her and the boys.

"I-I think we, um…" Hinata didn't know what to say. It didn't matter what she said, she would be making a choice between Sasuke and Naruto, and it only made her even more nervous than before. It was nerve wrecking, just knowing that the handsomest boy in school and the class clown were both nearly competing for her attention, yet ridiculous.  
Think fast, Hinata! Think fast! She thought, her body shook, mostly from the cold.

"I-I'm sorry, b-but I have w-work, so w-we'll talk later." She answered them both. Killing two birds with one stone, she thought as she walked past them and out of the parking lot. Damn it, I wish nii-san was here to give me a ride!  
She walked fast, not daring to look back at the two boys she practically stood up. She really wanted to talk to Naruto, and she felt her heart skip a beat just by the sound of his voice, but she was afraid of Sasuke. His intense stare gave her goose bumps, and she wondered just how Naruto, an extremely goofy guy, could stand it.

Lost deep in thought, she managed to arrive at the local coffee shop where Kiba worked part-time. She had lied to the boys, but what other choice did she have? At the moment, the only person she wanted to talk to was Neji, but he left school earlier with Tenten. She remembered her talk with him over the phone,  
_"Nii-san? Hello?"_  
_"Hey…"_  
_"Where are you? I'm at the parking lot but I don't see your car…" She could feel Sasuke's glare, and for a brief second, she turned her eyes to look at him only to look back down at the ground intimidated._  
_"I left school early, I'm sorry…" Hinata heard shuffling from the other line and was startled by the sound of Tenten's voice, "He's really sorry, Hina-chan! But now, he doesn't look too good. Please go home and be safe on the way! Bye!" All she heard next was the sound of the dead line, beeping in her ear, leaving a sting in her heart._  
_I hope Nii-san's okay…_  
Sighing, she looked around the shop for Kiba, but didn't see him, so she sat at a table at the far right corner.

"I wonder where he is..." She thought. Tired and confused, Hinata looked out the window she sat by. The people who rushed by all had their own lives, sighing, she thought how much had happened in one day.

"Why me? I was fine being invisible! Just let me be invisible..." She spoke to herself, rubbing her eyes which were in pain at the moment. She closed them, covering her face with her hands to block the world.

"Hina-chan!" She lifted her head to find a dumbfounded Kiba with a green serving tray in his hand.  
"Oh, Kiba-kun!" She stood up and rushed over to him, hugging him and feeling her migraine simmer down just a little. It was enough for her, just to be able to embrace her friend. It was what she needed most at the moment. A shoulder to lean on.  
"O-Okay, um, Hina-chan? I have to work..." He hesitantly reached for her shoulder, but gave in to her gaze which was now directed at him. With genuine tears of hopelessness escaping her lavender eyes.  
Kiba patted her back, letting her snuggle against his chest. He grimaced as he thought of something that could cheer up his best friend.  
"How about you sit down, and drink a cup of your favorite vanilla shake- on the house, of course!"  
She looked up, the last of her tears running down her cheeks. His smile relaxed her. She smiled at him for the first time in that day and did as he said.

"Alright, Hina-chan! Here's your warmed up vanilla shake, a bendy straw," He gingerly took out said straw and inserted it in her drink with a flick of the wrist, "Would you like anything else, my lady?"  
He jonkingly complimented her, making her giggle and nod.  
"I would like you to forgive me. I was wrong to snub earlier today at the hallway during lunch." She looked down as she took a sip of her drink.  
"Hina-chan," He looked paused for a moment, thinking of what he was about to say, "Don't apologize anymore. You could never do anything wrong. It's just me being a...selfish jerk..." There was a moment of silence between the two. Hinata wasn't sure what he meant by "selfish jerk", but there wasn't any time to explain since his boss called him out for slacking only minutes into their conversation.  
She sat the table in silence, looking at one of her closest friends work hard. She admired Kiba for being so strong after his older sister died in a car accident two years ago. He had basically grown up with her, and up until his fourteenth birthday, he was spending with her at her dog training center. However, after her death, their mother refused to continue running the dog training center, which was also a center for abused or mistreated dogs. Kiba was infuriated, and since then, he vowed to work hard in school and in his job to become a vet and reopen his sister's dog training center.

She was lost deep in thought, so she didn't notice that Kiba was now staring back at her. He only shook his head with a chuckle, "That cute baka..." He muttered.

*******  
Hinata took a step into her quiet home. Not a single sound followed after she slammed the front door. Sighing, she took off her back pack and dropped it beside her shoes.  
I guess I'll take a break today. Such a long and surprising school day, I don't even understand half the stuff that happened, Hinata thought. She walked into her kitchen and turned on the lights, discovering a small note stuck to the refrigerator door. She read it aloud,  
"Hello, Hinata. Your father and I will be assisting Hanabi at her school recital. Dinner is in the fridge, and remember to finish your homework early."  
She sighed. You'd think she would add an "I love you, honey" at the end of the letter…at least she left a note.  
She poked her head into the fridge, looking for a can of soda she had stashed away. Once in her room, she opened it and placed the fizzing drink on her desk.

"Ah," She sighed, dumping her own weight on the bed, "Feels good to be home...but what was Sasuke trying to do today...?" She looked up at the ceiling. She had posters of her favorite band pinned on the ceiling, old pictures of her and Neji and a picture of Naruto at the very corner of it all. It was taken by surprise after they bumped into each other in middle school. She felt foolish to even keep such a meaningless picture, but it was the only way she could see him after school.

"I wonder what he wanted to talk to me about, too...why were those two talking to me all of a sudden? It's so...weird. Do I have something on my face, or something?" She laid on her bed, imagining the endless possibilities.

Her insecurities were starting to show through her thoughts, and as she thought of the nearly impossible relationship she could have with Naruto, she started to drift into a deep sleep.  
Thinking of his cerulean orbs. Thinking of his bright smile. Thinking of his spontaneous and spunky personality. Just thinking of him.


	3. A New Start

**Author note:**

Hello, readers. Due to personal crisis I neglected this story for a very long time and I plan to work on it and continue it. This chapter is somewhat the beginning of the actual plot, where as past chapters are an introduction for what's to come. I hope you guys like it, please review and let me know what you think so far, stay expectant for more ^^

* * *

_**Chapter 3: Foolish**_

She awakened with rosy cheeks and a damp face. Her eyes remained closed as she heavily breathed, the horrible nightmare was flashing by in a rush of thoughts that she could not understand. Her eyes opened and she sighed, pushing back her hair and clumsily freeing herself from her bed sheets.

"What was that…?" Hinata whispered to herself. After a moment of blankly staring at her feet, she looked over at the clock and realized she had awakened a half hour earlier than usual.

She shook away the fright with all her might, but her mind still churned the images making her uneasy of what the dream could possibly mean; however she had no time to stress over that, so she took her time to get ready as the morning sky brightened with each passing minute. She decided to walk this morning after eating breakfast earlier than usual, avoiding the other Hyugas. Other worries arose on her calm walk to school. Neji had not called her since the incident from yesterday, and she didn't know what to expect from Naruto and Sasuke. With a heavy sigh, she neared the school in her glum attitude, hoping it would end soon.

"Hinata-chan!" Kiba stood by her locker waving.

"Hey." She flatly responded. He looked more closely at her and noticed the bags under eyes were more prominent this morning. She also looked more pale than usual, which alarmed Kiba who could only stare with sadness.

"Are you okay?" He softly asked.

She only nodded, taking out a text book and slamming her locker shut. Kiba followed after her into history class and sat in the same desk he usually did beside hers.

"Are you sure?"

Hinata sighed, "I'm sorry Kiba, but I don't think I want to go to homecoming anymore."

She stared at him with fear that her rejection would be taken too seriously, something Kiba was known to do often. The truth had to be said, in Hinata's mind it was the correct thing to do, though it seemed selfish.

"Is it because of Naruto?" The words made her heart race in a sudden rush of emotions and with a heartbreaking look in her eyes she nodded.

"I'm sorry Kiba, I just don't feel like seeing him dancing with another girl."

To her surprise, he chuckled and with a wide grin he replied, "To be honest, I hate going to school dances."

Her mood was immediately brightened by Kiba's nonchalant attitude, which should have been expected, but Hinata's nature to please her friends was always a bump in the way.

The rest of the class went smoothly and the two were able to talk as they worked on the assignment of the day, making one too many jokes for the teacher's like. But to Hinata the beginning of this day was only the beginning of one long trajectory and she was mentally getting ready to face the other individuals that almost supernaturally began to interfere with her invisibility. Though, she had to admit the attention was starting to feel good.

* * *

Naruto sat on the bleachers and stared into the distance as he thought of Sasuke's sudden change of character.

_I don't understand. He never mentioned Hinata before, and all of a sudden she's this thing he has to have? I mean, she's pretty and smart, and…What am I saying? I barely know her._

_But it _would_ be nice to know her, maybe if she wasn't so weird—Shit, I can't say that about her, she's a nice girl._

_Sasuke _has_ always been an impulsive jerk. Hinata doesn't deserve a man like him. I wouldn't expect anything else from an Uchiha, even if Sasuke is my friend. I can't let him go insane like his father or brother. I vow to make him change. Even if he sees me as his enemy, I don't ever give up on my friends…_

Suddenly, the rustle of leaves was heard from under the bleachers the blond sat on. The thought of a teacher catching him out of class raced through his mind as he jumped off the side of the elevated bleachers, expertly landing on the paved path that lead to the back door of the school.

However, he didn't find a teacher standing by. Instead he found a girl, a petite one in her Konoha High gym clothes, with her hair tied up in a high pony tail, unwrapping a chocolate bar.

With a devilish grin he crept behind the familiar girl and whispered, "Whatcha got there, Hinata?"

She spun around hastily, blushing profusely at the recognition of Naruto's voice and wanting to crawl under a rock.

"I'm sorry, did I scare you?" he playfully asked.

"K-kind of—yes, anyway how did you find me?" She stuttered, and quietly took a minute bite of her chocolate. She had told her gym teacher she wasn't feeling well and if she could go to the nurse, then escaping to hide under the bleachers. Yes, that's how much she abhorred playing sports. Still, she felt oddly ready to speak to Naruto, and after spending her first classes with Kiba and more or less enjoying herself in school as best she could, she was more confident than ever.

"What are you doing under the bleachers?" Naruto asked, quite amused at this point, and the only thought crossing his mind was how cute she looked munching her candy.

"Why do you care?" She asked with a gleam in her eyes.

"Because it looks, to me, like you're skipping gym class, and the Hinata _I_ know doesn't skip class." He smirked.

"You don't know me…like at all." She responded successfully avoiding her stutter, and with a smile that displayed both victory and sympathy for Naruto who was clueless about the person he was actually talking to.

Discomfort and realization hit him at that instant, he thought her response over and over, and reality hit him hard. Maybe she wasn't who he expected her to be, what she displayed from a far for the rest to witness, but not feel.

"I guess you're right," he looked down and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "would you like for me to know you better?"

Hinata watched him kick a pebble around wide eyed, she went blank and her mind could not register a good response to the question, it already amazed her that she was holding a conversation with him.

"E-excuse me?" She stuttered.

"You wanna hang out some time?" He asked with upmost confidence, no hesitation but a friendly eye smile that dazzled Hinata.

Just as she opened her mouth to answer, a whistle rang from the soccer field nearby signaling the end of gym class; fumbling with her words and an alarm to run to the girl's locker room, she yelled a "Sure! See you in lunch!" and was on her way.

He silently watched her in the same position, a smile creeping up on his boyish features and a spark in his eyes that reflected the surge of joy traveling all over his body. It left a warm feeling in his upper chest, almost like a shot of sake, and he knew he was hooked—he had the honor of hanging out with Hinata Hyuga.

* * *

Lunch time came around and students rushed out of their classrooms to the cafeteria. Amongst the crowd were Neji and Tenten who walked side-by-side.

The two had spent a whole afternoon together talking about the incident, but Neji still seemed to be very bothered by it. He smiled in class and talked as if nothing had happened, but there were moments when Tenten would steal glances at him and see him grimace. She knew that all they could do was forget about it, but Neji found it hard to do. Every day, he listened to other classmates talk about prom and who their dates were, but he had no one.

"You should talk to Hinata now that you are feeling better. She must be worried sick!" Tenten scolded him playfully, sitting at their lunch table.

"Yeah, I'll admit I've been inconsiderate…"

"Not necessarily, I just think you should try and explain to her how you feel. She's your cousin, and she loves you very much. All she wants is for you to be okay."

Tenten didn't want him to feel like this was his entire fault, so she smiled. Putting a hand on his shoulder and letting him know that he was not alone. He stared into her eyes and for the first time in that day and smiled; a real smile, of course. One that let her know he was going to be okay. After all, he had two loving friends by his side.

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen Hinata all day." Neji wondered.

"Well, look no further, she's making her way over here!" Tenten chuckled as said beauty walked in with an extra hop to her step and grace that compared to no other girl.

"Neji!" She excitedly skipped to her cousin, delighted to see a smile on him after the heartbreaking accident.

He embraced her and the two could feel warmth inside each other's hearts as they bonded. They had no one else but each other in a family as cold and rigid as the Hyuga.

"_I'm_ so happy to see _you_ happy!" She giggled. Tenten nodded in agreement and scooted over for Hinata to sit by them.

"Oh I'm alright, Hina!" Neji sassily responded, "What about you? You seem awfully cheery today."

"It's noticeable?"

The other two scoffed, "Noticeable? It's clearer than water! What happened?"

Hinata blushed deeply, "Funny you ask because earlier today—"

"Hey, Hinata."

The three of them looked over to the familiar raspy voice that came from the opposite side of their table; there stood Naruto with his hands in his pockets and smirk.

Neji and Tenten covered their mouths and tried to look away, hiding their giggles, they elbowed Hinata to speak.

"Y-yes?" She replied to him nervously and ecstatically.

"About my offer, are you available today after school?"


	4. The First Date

**Author's Note:**

A new chapter! Ta-da! I hope everyone likes it, it's short, but hopefully still good. I'll try to update faster but it's hard doing it since I'm always sick but whatever I hope you guys like this, it's only about Naruto and Hinata so ENJOY!

* * *

_**Chapter 4: The First Date**_

Hinata walked down the street with a fluttering stomach, and as she came close to the coffee shop she could see the blond sitting inside.

"He looks serious," Hinata pondered.

Kiba was working the shift when he spotted Naruto sitting by the window in Hinata's favorite corner. Irrational anger boiled in him, he wished it was him sitting there with Hinata enjoying a milkshake. He remembered the spike of rage that poked him in the stomach when she told him about the sudden date. He was disgusted but happy that Hinata was going to get a chance with someone she has loved for so long, but why did it _have_ to be Naruto?

With a grimace and a last glare directed to Naruto, he continued wiping the counter.

Entering the shop, a small bell dinged, signaling Naruto that she had arrived. He snapped out of his thoughts and blankly looked up to see the cute Hyuga unwrap her scarf from her slender neck and storing it in her bag.

"Hey!" She waved with a soft smile and approached him, taking notice that he had chosen her favorite spot in the shop.

Kiba slung the wet rag he was using earlier over his shoulder and silently left the front counter to work in the kitchen.

"It's chilly today, huh?" Naruto commented and pointed at her bag.

"Yeah, I actually like the fall weather. It's very soothing." She quietly responded and plopped down on the bouncy seat across from her date. She repeated over and over again in her head to breathe, keep calm, and not to think of it as a date with Naruto; a meeting with a friend.

A moment of silence lingered between them and during the first minute Hinata kept her eyes busy with other people in the coffee shop and looking outside the window. She was afraid of looking into his eyes; however, he searched for hers. He wanted to get lost in the pools of lavender petals, even her scent was a dream.

"You guys ready to order?"

The two looked up at Kiba who stood behind the counter and was preparing what looked like a vanilla shake.

"I'm good." Naruto responded to him nonchalantly then turned to Hinata, "You?"

She glanced at Kiba and smiled, "He knows…"

Unsure of what to make of Hinata and Kiba's close friendship, Naruto only smiled and nodded.

"You guys seem pretty close." He commented to Hinata privately as to not instigate Kiba. The man's temper was just as bad as his own.

Hinata looked down a bit uncomfortable by Naruto's observation and shook her head, "We're just good friends, is all."

"Like for years?" The question slipped out and he bit his tongue out of frustration, visibly wincing but recovering quickly with a cheeky smile.

"…yes, but he's like a brother to me. Not like Neji, but still family." She was dreading the turn their conversation had taken because of Kiba's intrusion, it seemed like he purposely kept popping up, even though it's the second time he comes up.

"_Here's_ your vanilla shake!" He chimed, carefully placing her shake on the table on top of a napkin, "And for the finishing touch, your bendy straw." He dipped it in the milky drink and stepped back with an accomplished smile.

"Thanks, Kiba-kun!"

Naruto's jaw clenched. "She calls him 'kun'?" He thought. Kiba had left a bad taste in his mouth more than once now, and as he watched Hinata smile back at him, his jealousy intensified. Wait. "Jealousy? I can't be." He thought, but he knew that a better way to solve this problem was not with a fist, but with a sly remark.

"Thanks for being so kind to Hinata-chan, Kiba. This date just seems to get better, doesn't it Hina?"

Slightly choking on her drink, she hesitantly responded, "I guess…"

"No problem," Kiba looked straight into Naruto's eyes, "It's on the house, Hinata."

"You're too kind," Naruto responded with a smirk and challenging glare, "But I'll pay for her. After all, it's only common courtesy. We're on a _date_!"

Kiba raised his hand and took a breath ready to fire a comeback, but Hinata spoke first, "Kiba, just let him pay."

He was frozen for a defeated second, and Naruto, who was now feeling like a million bucks, stood up from his seat.

"Here's the money," He took out a twenty dollar bill and dropped it on the table, "Anyway, you wanna go now?"

Hinata nodded and watched him walk ahead towards the exit, turning to look back at a disheartened Kiba, "Sorry, I'll talk to you in school."

She quietly stood up and walked away, almost hunching over from the guilt, towards Naruto who waited for her patiently by the door.

"Is he gonna be okay? He looked like a bird took a shit on him." Inwardly chuckling, Naruto looked down at Hinata as the two walked down the street and away from the coffee shop.

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

He silently came to a halt and watched Hinata walk on a few steps until she stopped as well,

"Of course not—"

"Then stop being such an asshole towards Kiba!" Hinata had turned around and her tiny voice resonated in Naruto's head.

"Come on, Hinata. We're on a _date_ and all he does is treat you like I'm not there."

She fell silent for a moment. Maybe Naruto wasn't so oblivious to everything. "What do you mean?"

"Hinata don't tell me you don't know Kiba loves you, it's literally right in your face." He tried not to sound too rude towards his beautiful date, but his patience and equanimity could only last for so long.

Hinata sighed and rubbed her forehead in distress, "Can we not talk about this in public?"

Another nod.

As they neared a more secluded and wealthy neighborhood towards the north side of town, Hinata doubted her agreement to Naruto's proposal more and more.

"You live around here?" She quietly asked, rubbing her arms to keep warm as the autumn breeze hit her.

He nodded.

* * *

"Can you at least say a simple 'yes'?" She was beginning to get annoyed by Naruto's sudden silent treatment. Throughout their whole date he was very out of character. No jokes, rowdy behavior, or constant smile. He was quiet, thoughtful.

"We're here." He spoke for the first time in a half hour and Hinata, both bewildered and relieved, looked over at the large house he was referring to.

"He lives in this…this mansion?" She questioned in her head, "I thought he was an orphan…"

"Don't be shy, come on." He grabbed her hand, giving it a tender squeeze and pulled her closer. The contact made her blush as a current of warmth surged up her spine, and as the thought of holding Naruto's hand only made her more nervous, she forgot about his surprisingly fancy living and enjoyed the butterflies that tickled her tummy.

She watched him search his pockets and take out his keys, attached to them was a small card he slid at the entrance made of tall iron gates that surrounded his actual house. A ring was heard and the gates unlocked,

"Alright, let's go." Naruto, still holding her hand, guided her into his property with a smug look.

"This place is gorgeous!" She gasped. They passed a small pond full of lily pads and beautiful flowers, also surrounded by the well maintained plants and clean-cut grass that made up his magnificent front yard. As a nature lover, Hinata was captivated.

"I'm glad we're here, it's getting dark." Naruto added with a smile and opened the front door, stepping aside for her to walk in first.

The house was cozy to be so big, but sill spacious and beautifully decorated with paintings and pots full of flowers. She continued walking down the entry hall and stopped at the living room, curiously looking around at the pretty family portraits hung up on the wall.

"Nice place." She giggled and looked up at him.

Naruto had been watching her every second of their date, it made her look back down after coming in direct contact with his gaze, but he walked closer and gently tilted her pretty little face up in the hopes that she would look into his eyes.

"Uh…" Hinata took a step back, stuttering and blushing uncontrollably to a point where she started mentally cursing. Totally flustered and unable to actually speak she stumbled down on the couch once the back of her legs hit its bouncy, cushioned edge.

He kneeled down, held her hands tightly, and searched for her eyes, "Why so shy, Hinata?" The smile on his face was more than playful as he whispered to her, making her blush intensify. He had to admit it, it made him proud. He made her nervous with just one touch.

"Where are your parents anyway?" She tried to change the topic and divert his attention; his closeness was making her dizzy.

"They're busy people. Now come one, look into my eyes."

"Fuck." Hinata thought.

"Just look…"

She quietly struggled with the side of herself that rarely came out unless she was home alone and thinking of him in a different, more sensual light. Not that she was a perverted girl, she would only face palm and shake those thoughts away, but he was luring her. It seemed unreal, sitting on his couch, in his home, with him kneeling in front of her and holding her hands tightly, making her temperature rise. She was so tempted. One look couldn't hurt.

She very slowly looked up, letting her eyes trace up his neck, jaw, and cute whiskers until reaching the pools of sparkling blue. So beautiful and tantalizing…

Naruto was dazed and his jaw dropped at the sight of her sweet pastel eyes, totally in love with the light shade of lavender they were; simply stunning and out of this world.

The two silently stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity, but then when they thought things couldn't continue to leave them breathless, he leaned in and tenderly pressed his lips against hers.


End file.
